The Golden Acorn - Catherine Cooper [85]
Maximus strode out of his office and the soldiers immediately fell silent. He began shouting angrily again and looked intently at Jack as if waiting for an answer.
‘I don’t understand,’ Jack said and shook his head.
Maximus threw his arms in the air and spoke gruffly to the soldiers. Jack knew he was in a lot of trouble. The Camp Prefect looked furious. Jack was taken around the back of the offices into a quadrangle. Another soldier appeared with a set of leg irons and he was pushed to the ground and shackled to a post. His arms and body ached from the rough treatment. He pulled at the irons. The bands weren’t tight but there was no way he’d be able to wriggle his feet free. Even if he did escape would be impossible. One of the soldiers had remained in the quadrangle standing guard.
The sun beat down on Jack’s head. There wasn’t any shade and the cobbles were hot and uncomfortable to sit on. Luckily the tunic was big enough to pull over his head and gave him some protection from the sun. He had no idea what to do next. He could hear the whole camp being searched. What would happen when the soldiers found what they were looking for? Somehow Jack didn’t think Maximus was going to release him. What would Nora tell his Dad and Grandad if he never got home again? He tried to put these thoughts out of his head but there wasn’t much else to think about, until he wanted a drink. By now the sun was directly overhead and all Jack could think about was a glass of cool water. He racked his brain to remember any Latin words that might help him. Then it struck him, aqua meant water. He shouted over to the guard.
‘Aqua, please.’
The guard completely ignored him. If they weren’t going to give him any food or water he was probably going to suffer the same fate as Camelin.
Jack’s throat was dry. It was pointless shouting to the guard again; he’d just be wasting his breath. The heat from the sun was making him sleepy but the noise around the fort, as the soldiers continued their search, made it impossible to sleep. A group of four soldiers entered the quadrangle with drawn swords. Jack gasped. He thought they’d come for him but they hurried past and searched the undergrowth by the buildings.
Jack was trying to be brave but fear of the unknown was getting the better of him. He wondered if Camelin had gone back through the window in time; he didn’t want to be stranded in the past. To have come this far and fail at the first hurdle was almost too much for Jack to contemplate. He felt he’d let everyone down. He wished he could tell Camelin how sorry he was.
The search moved on.
Once the other soldiers had gone the guard moved into the shade and leaned against the wall. It was then that something hit Jack on the head. Not anything hard this time, something light, which seemed to have come from a great height. There by his feet was a stick. He poked his head out of the tunic and looked around.
‘Psssst,’ came a familiar voice from the tiled roof of the building opposite to where Jack was sitting.
Jack was so pleased to see Camelin he almost shouted his name out loud.
‘What’s happening?’ he whispered back. ‘I can’t understand what they’re saying.’
‘They’re looking for your clothes! Maximus has got Drusus in his office now demanding to know why he didn’t bring him all three plates.’
‘What did he say?’
‘He said the oak tree was his family insignia and since the plates were worthless he thought he’d keep it, but the good news is that all three plates are in one place now.’
‘What’s going to happen to me?’
‘You’re safe until tomorrow. Maximus told the guard you’ve got to stay out here without food or water until the morning, but don’t worry. We’ve got a plan. I’ll get you out of here at dusk.’
The guard stirred. When Jack looked back at the roof Camelin was gone. He pulled the tunic back over his head again. He wondered what Camelin had meant when he’d said we’ve got a plan. He’d no idea how long it was until